


Injustice: Gays Among Us

by Worffan101



Category: Injustice: Gods Among Us, Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: #gdmonthly, Alternate Universe - Dark, Batman's great and all but I'm tired of him being shilled as BATGOD the invincible, Dark fic, F/F, Gentle ribbing of Batman, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I wrote this instead of doing schoolwork, Injustice AU, Oops, Warning: Dead lesbians, but fair warning, there are other lesbians who live and get happy endings though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 08:10:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12526880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Worffan101/pseuds/Worffan101
Summary: Written for General Danvers Monthly, Month 2.In an alternate universe, Alex Danvers and Astra In-Ze were happily married, until the Joker tore them apart.  Now, the Alex and Astra from a less grimdark timeline must work with two Supergirls to stop Supreme Leader Astra and her tyrannical reign of terror.And fall in love while they're doing so, of course.





	Injustice: Gays Among Us

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably cheating because “Injustice: Gods Among Us” is literally a DC universe game, but fuck it, I need me some angst. I’m sorry that this took so damn long, I was distracted by the GREs, schoolwork, the orange Nazi-loving asshole who somehow continues to occupy the Oval Office, and being gutted by rage at Star Trek: Discovery’s needless grimdark, cast of pointless assholes, and the fact that they killed off the ONE decent, likable character in episode 2 (RIP Philippa Georgiou, you deserved better). But, I got it out, thanks to my wonderful beta Mollie, she's the best, literally the best in the world. 
> 
> Evil!Astra came out a little less evil than Super-Stalin—just a bit, not a lot—but mostly because she has her wifey there to be good for. This was super sad and hard to write. 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: Two dead lesbians. (I’m sorry! :( ) Also, the first two scenes are in the Dark!AU to set up the backstory for it, in case you’re reading this and haven’t played Injustice. 
> 
> This takes place after season 2 in the regular universe, it happened mostly per canon, but Manhell was a reasonable, friendly guy who had a short will-they-won’t-they with Kara before settling into “they won’t” later in the season, rather than the flaming asshole we got, and Alex was too busy worrying about a second awkward gay Kryptonian to start going out with Maggie. Plus the finale was a little different because of different circumstances and Manhell being more like his comic-book counterpart than the douchebag we saw on the show (yes, I’m bitter, I actually kind of liked the comics version, the show version is an active insult to every thinking creature). 
> 
> The Dark!AU is heavily modeled on Injustice: Gods Among Us, with Astra in Superman’s role and Kara in Batman’s. I’m kind of tired of Billionaire Man oversaturation and not a huge fan of Bat-worship anyway, so there’s no BATGOD hanging around. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy Injustice: Gays Among Us.

Some things are universal constants.  Kara Zor-El is a hopeless bisexual mess.  The Martian Manhunter is really the best superhero.  Captain America is a Nazi-punching badass and Nick Spencer never turned him into a Nazi stooge for _Secret Empire_.  Hint, hint. 

So, too, have Alex Danvers of Earth and Astra In-Ze of Krypton almost always met, and when they have they have invariably fallen in love.  Most of the time, they’ve been happy, sometimes traumatizing Kara and going to sleep every night in each others’ arms. 

In one little corner of the multiverse, however, one where Astra was Earth’s premier superhero and Alex her loving wife, things went very, very wrong. 

***

_Earth-V.  The day National City died_. 

Alex woke up to her phone ringing. 

She clumsily half-rolled over, grappling for her phone as she tried to pull herself and her swollen abdomen up in bed.  “Hello?”  It was too damned early; Alex squinted at the time and cursed internally.  _8:00?  Not fair…_

“ _Alex_!” It was Kara, and she sounded distraught.  “ _Oh thank Rao…Alex, it was the Joker, he…he…oh, Rao, he…_ ” 

“Calm down, Kara, what happened?”  Alex tried to breathe evenly—stress was to be avoided, all the books and articles said.  “I thought you put him in prison again last month?” 

“ _He got out, we still don’t know how…Alex, he had a nuke.  National city—it’s_ gone _, Alex_.” 

“What???  Oh, god, does Astra know?” 

“ _She’s not answering her phone!  I don’t know where she is…_ ” 

“Ok.  Kara, here’s what I’m going to do, OK?”  Alex hauled herself to her feet with a grunt and headed for her closet—pajamas and a coat wasn’t exactly formal attire, but it’d do.  “I’ll call her, then I’m driving right out to you, OK?  Where are you now?” 

“ _DEO headquarters—Alex, we have the Joker, he’s in the cells…Alex, I want to kill him.  I know it’s wrong, but all those people…_ ” 

“I understand.  Nobody _wouldn’t_ if he destroyed an entire city, but Kara, you’re a superhero.  You’ll do the right thing, and leave him for the courts and execution.  I know you will.”  She shrugged on her coat.  “Kara, just stay calm, OK?  Call Lena or James or Winn and get any help you need, OK?  Just don’t do anything drastic, I’m on my way.” 

“ _OK.  Ok, Alex, just stay safe, please…_ ” 

“Of course.  Bye now, stay safe and I’ll see you soon.”  She hung up and hit #1 on her speed dial as she slid on her slippers.  It rang three times and went to voicemail.  _Shit_.  At least her wife’s phone _had_ survived, or she was out of the blast radius when the nuke went off.  “Astra?  Honey, where are you?  Kara told me what happened, I’m headed to the DEO.  I’m safe, the Joker’s been caught, but I need to know you’re OK, alright?” 

She opened the door, and stumbled backwards.  Astra stood on air before her, ramrod straight, chin up and costume immaculate.  “Astra!  Oh, god, you scared me…”  But as the Kryptonian started forwards, Alex realized what was wrong.  Astra’s eyes were blank, empty and emotionless, her motions almost robotic as she started forwards, eyes igniting.  “Baby?”  No response, and Astra knocked the coffee table right over as Alex retreated; and she didn’t even flinch.  “ _Shit!_ ”  Alex stumbled backwards, awkward in her sixth month, but her wife was faster, grabbing her by the shoulder hard enough to make Alex scream in pain. 

Alex was lifted up with ease, Astra’s eyes squinting as the Kryptonian frowned, the fire dimming but not extinguishing.  Alex had seen people fighting mind control before, had seen _Astra_ fight it before, but before, her struggles had been strong and ever-increasing; here, now, she was visibly _weakening_ …

Alex let out a sob, but controlled herself.  “Astra.  You’re being mind-controlled.”  She pulled her phone up to make sure it would catch her voice.  “In case you don’t shake it off—baby, I love you, and this isn’t your fault.”  She choked back another sob, and the hand gripping her bruised shoulder clamped down harder and harder.  “Don’t blame yourself, OK?  Talk to Kara, please, don’t shut her out…” 

Alex choked on her own voice as the frown relaxed into awful emotionlessness, Astra’s eyes igniting to their full heat once more.  “Oh, god.  Astra, I love…” 

***

_DEO HQ, Earth-V_. 

“Let me in” Kara growled.  The agents on the door looked at each other, then at Kara, and stepped aside.  Supergirl strode into the Joker’s cell, her eyes smoldering. 

“Ooh, heehee, looks like _someone_ can’t take a…” 

Kara’s fist slammed a three-inch dent in the titanium alloy wall.  “ _Shut_.  _Up_.”  She shook her head.  “ _Four million people! **Why**_?” 

The purple-suited man chuckled, his snicker dying down.  “Oh, come on, Supes, you’ve gotta admit it’s impressive!  I just became the fourth-worst mass murderer in history, or maybe the fifth…either way, it was a good day’s work.  Ha!  The first honest work I’ve ever done—you should be glad that I’ve reformed!  Or, you _would_ be if your sister were here, wouldn’t you?” 

Kara snarled.  “ _What did you do to Alex_?”  Then the door was blasted clean off its hinges, and Kara ducked on pure instinct. 

When she looked up, something deep in her stomach plummeted.  “Aunt Astra?” 

“ _You_ ,” Astra snarled, her black-and-silver costume cold in the harsh lights as she floated forwards, picking the Joker up one-handed by the neck, her eyes glowing softly like the embers of a wildfire.  “ _You killed her!  You made me kill her!_ ” 

“Ooh, and the other shoe drops,” the clown chuckled through the Kryptonian’s iron grip.  “That’s a little thing I like to call _Poetic Injustice_.  Tell me, did she scream?  Beg?  See, I’ve got a philosophy, one that’s worth _all_ the rare Kryptonite and pricey Dominator machines in the _world_ to prove.  Who you are when you’re about to die?  That’s the _real_ you.  Tell me, Supes Senior, what kind of woman was our Agent Danvers?” 

The Joker cried out as Astra threw him clear across the room, before super-speeding over and crushing one of his hands into bloody pulp, his ribs audibly snapping as she hauled him up and slammed him into the wall.  “ _You will not speak her name_!”  Her voice was raw and broken.  “ _My wife!  Our daughter!  Four million people!_ ” 

The clown snickered.  “Well, look on the bright side, Supes Senior!  She’s not going to be alone.  Four million friends to share—oh, wait, you mentioned the daughter.  Did you kill her too?”  Astra’s eyes blazed with heat.  The Joker’s grin stretched wide.  “Make that _four million and one_.” 

“Astra, wait!” Kara cried.  But it was too late. 

The Joker’s head liquefied around Astra’s fist, blood and pulped brain matter spraying across the room to splatter on Kara’s face, and his body dropped to the ground.  The General stepped back, eyes burning, hands shaking. 

“Aunt Astra…” Kara whispered.  As awful and irredeemable as the Joker had been…

Astra made a rattling, rhythmic sort of sound, and Kara realized in horror that it was _laughter_.  “Four million and _two_ , clown.  I hope that your punchline was worth it.”  She turned crisply, cape flaring behind her.  “Send someone to clean up that mess, Kara.  I will return soon.” 

Kara sat there, stunned, for a full thirty seconds, the DEO agents not daring to look in, before she realized that she _really_ needed Alex now.  _He must’ve been lying…he couldn’t have…Astra must’ve been hallucinating or something…_

But the call went to voicemail.  As did the next, and the next.  And Kara threw back her head and _screamed_. 

***

_Gotham City.  Earth-38._

“…and I assure you, he’ll stand trial in National City, but until then he’s in a DEO cell under maximum security,” Alex promised.  She felt a little ridiculous arguing with a vigilante in a gloomy alleyway, but Kara had said that this was necessary for “keeping up his mystique”.  Privately, Alex felt that the billionaire currently dressed as a bat and perching on a Dumpster needed to find a better mystique, or a different theme, or maybe a pastime other than beating up criminals with his bare hands and driving a multi-million-dollar car around rooftops. 

“I still think that Arkham might…” the cowled man growled in an artificially deep voice. 

“The prison that the clown has already escaped from multiple times?  A poor choice, Bat-Man,” Astra commented.  Batman grumbled quietly. 

“But jurisdiction…” 

“Don’t worry,” Alex promised, nudging Kara’s ostensibly reformed aunt none too gently with her hip.  “We’re holding him on federal charges, no lawyer’ll be able to get him off.” 

Batman huffed, hunching forwards a little and taking a half-step back into the shadows.  “I suppose I can trust the DEO, you’ve proven yourselves to be reliable.”  He pulled a grapple-gun from beneath his cape and nodded to Kara.  “Thanks for the help, Supergirl.” 

“No problem!” Kara grinned.  “Clark’s sorry he couldn’t come, but…” 

“He’s on Apokolips fighting Darkseid and his Parademons, I know,” Batman finished for her.  “You did good, though.  Clark would’ve taken longer, I think.”  Kara puffed up with pride, and Batman launched the grapple into the sky.   “Anyway, Supergirl, Agent Danvers, pleasure working with you.  Now, if you’ll excuse me…”  The line went taut, and Batman pressed a button, rocketing upwards on the grapple line.  “I am the niiiiiiight!” he called out, fading away into the night sky. 

“…he knows that I can still see and hear him if I focus, yes?” Astra asked to no-one in particular.  Alex sighed.  Kara rolled her eyes. 

“Bruce is _cool_ , Aunt Astra, it’s OK if he has his dramatic exits.  Besides, he works _really hard_ on that one, I practiced with him once when Clark was tossing around ideas for a ‘Justice League’ and we were meeting at Wayne Manor.” 

“C’mon,” Alex said, throwing her around Kara’s shoulders.  “Let’s get back to National City, we have an evil clown to process.” 

“And then we must finish _Star Wars_ , Alexandra,” Astra insisted.  “I must discover if Luke defeats Darth Vader to avenge Obi-Wan and his father in the second movie.” 

Kara’s eyes bulged, and Alex elbowed her in the stomach.  “Yup.  You’ll see.  And I’ll see if I can make pasta without setting it on fire.” 

“How do you _set pasta on fire_?” Kara asked in confusion. 

“I have _no idea_ ,” Alex grumbled.  “Last week, I was cooking and Astra was watching TV, I was just putting it into the pan so I could let it simmer in the tomato sauce like Chef Ramsay said, and it caught fire right there!” 

“Wow, that’s… _really_ strange,” Kara managed.  She shot a glance at Astra, who was staring up into the sky with suspicious determination as they walked out to Alex’s motorcycle.  “What did you end up doing?” 

“I took us out to that Vietnamese place Astra likes and put it on the DEO budget,” Alex replied.  “Though Astra insisted on paying, claimed it was ‘just putting in my fair share’.”  Alex’s breathy falsetto earned a huff from Astra, and Alex nudged the Kryptonian’s shoulder.  “Your old-fashioned manners’re gonna bankrupt you someday, General.”  Astra made a soft noise of protest, and Alex grinned as she addressed Kara again.  “Honestly, I’d already messed up the recipe a couple of times and burned some of the sauce so it was probably better all-around.”  She half-turned back to Astra.  “You didn’t have to order me dessert, though.” 

Astra shrugged, her cheeks pink.  “You escorted me to dinner at an expensive establishment.  I was merely expressing my appreciation.” 

“I was just being a good roommate.”  Kara scoffed quietly, and Alex whirled back to her.  “What?  Roommates take their roommates out for a nice dinner!” 

“Maybe on occasion.  And not _Cung điện song_ , CatCo Magazine rated that restaurant Most Romantic _seven years running_ …” 

Further conversation was forestalled by Astra’s hiss of surprise and a crackle of electricity.  “Kara!” 

Kara lunged for her aunt as the electric _distortion_ in space swallowed her up, their fingers brushing…

Alex’s brain barely had time to process surprise and confusion and _panic_ before she registered the tingling across her skin.  _What_ …

Astra, Kara, and the city around her vanished. 

***

_Elsewhere._

Alex pulled herself to her feet with a groan.  “What the _fuck_ …Astra?  Kara?  Are you alright?” 

No response.  _Shit_.  Alex looked around, drawing her gun.  A growl of engines came from somewhere nearby, but as far as Alex could tell this part of…some city…was empty, probably because it was late at night.  Tall, dark buildings…flags hanging from most of them, bearing a black Kryptonian sigil on a red background.  Alex squinted—she knew that symbol, Astra’s House, the House of Ze.  _What the hell_?  What was going on? 

A massive, black armored personnel carrier turned a corner two blocks down.  It, too, bore the sigil, and beside it marched black-uniformed stormtroopers in face-concealing masks, bearing the Ze crest on their chests and red armbands.  _Who the hell’s putting on the Reich with Astra’s Kryptonian symbol?_   Alex wonders in confusion. 

She’d been sighted; one of the soldiers was pointing at her, and she was flooded with a spotlight as she tried to duck down a nearby alley.  A voice boomed out through a loudspeaker, deep and harsh. 

“ ** _Halt, Subject, or you will be fired upon!  Comply immediately with the directives of OneEarth peacekeepers or the Regime will not be responsible for your injury or death!_** ”  Alex ducked into the alley, and gunfire rattled behind her. 

“ ** _Do not resist, Subject!  You have nothing to fear unless you are guilty!_** ” 

“What the Hell sent me to Gestapo World?” Alex muttered, cocking her gun and settling into a careful crouch behind a Dumpster.  She pulled her phone out, instinctively tapping Kara’s speed dial.  _No service.  Damn_.  She was well past _something is very wrong_ and well on her way to _Kara had better show up thirty seconds ago or I’m going to die_. 

“I wonder what you hope to accomplish,” a stern male voice mused from behind her.  Alex turned, saw nothing, tracked up, and ducked sideways while snapping off a shot, which the man in the yellow costume casually deflected off of a yellow shield that materialized in front of him.  He descended to hover a few inches off of the ground with a cold smile. 

The man was clearly an alien, magenta skin made that obvious enough, with a neat mustache, his outfit a yellow bodysuit bearing a bizarre sigil on the chest, his only jewelry a glowing yellow ring.  “ _Please_.  You cannot harm me, girl.  Who are you and who are you working for?” 

“Alex Danvers, I work for the government.  Who the Hell are you?”  She didn’t lower her gun. 

Magenta Man bowed slightly.  “I am Sinestro.  Thaal Sinestro, of Korugar.  Tell me, what is a OneEarth peacekeeper doing out of uniform, on the streets, and carrying a nonstandard weapon, at this time of night?” 

Alex pulled her badge out, switching it to FBI mode.  “I work for the FBI, you can check my badge.  Who do _you_ work for, and why do you need it?” 

A yellow hand snatched the badge from her hand, and brought it to Sinestro, who frowned.  “A DEO badge.  Older model.”  The yellow construct vanished, and the badge dropped as Sinestro floated forwards.  “Your forger should be fired, Resistance scum.  This product is several years out of date.”  Alex half-turned at the sound of boots, the soldiers trotting into the alley, weapons drawn.  “Restrain her,” Sinestro commanded.  “The Supreme Leader will wish to interrogate her.” 

“I’m going _nowhere_ with you,” Alex countered, pivoting and falling to one knee as she took out one enemy soldier with a kneecap shot followed by a shoulder hit, and ducked the other’s fire to get him in the hip and lower arm.  She spun back, and Sinestro contemptuously knocked the gun from her hand with another yellow construct.  _Shit_.  She had one shot.  “Supergirl!!” 

A yellow gag materialized over Alex’s mouth.  Sinestro’s lips curled up into a grin.  “So you are connected to Kara Zor-El.  Excellent.  The Supreme Leader will have great use for you.  A pity that the Resistance trains its operatives so poorly; you should have turned your weapon on yourself.” 

“Mmph!” Alex retorted through the gag.  Sinestro chuckled, then a yellow fist obscured her vision and she hit the ground in darkness. 

***

_The Watchtower (formerly the Empire State Building, Metropolis).  Earth-V._

Supreme Commandant Astra In-Ze’s gaze bored unblinkingly into the computers before her as she tapped relentlessly at the keys, scouring the surveillance footage from across the globe for any sign of the Resistance.  She didn’t even twitch as the man entered behind her. 

“Supreme Leader.” 

“Sinestro.”  Her voice was cold, clipped.  It had been for years now.  “What is so urgent that you disturb me?”  Something irked her.  Scratching, _pulsing_ at the back of her head.  She was _hearing_ something, she realized.  Something she _knew_. 

“I have a prisoner.  Resistance, most likely, and high enough to have a fake DEO badge.”  

Astra stood, allowing herself to set aside her impossible duty for the higher priority of an interrogation.  “Show me.” 

“Yes, Supreme Leader.”  The alien’s yellow power ring glowed, and a woman was carried in, bound securely to a chair. 

Astra gasped.  “ _Alexandra_?”  Her wife’s heartbeat thundered in her ears.  Not even the late Martian Manhunter could imitate _that_ —and Astra nearly crumpled as the tempest of emotions hit her.  _How…why…but HER…impossible… **here** …_

“Astra?”  Alex struggled, straining in vain against the yellow ropes.  “What’s going on?  And when did you change clothes?” 

Astra turned to Sinestro, teeth bared.  “Release her at once!  And leave us!” 

Sinestro looked for a moment as though he were about to argue.  Astra’s eyes blazed with heat.  Sinestro bowed apologetically. 

“Of course, Supreme Leader.  If you require my presence, you need only summon me as usual.” 

Astra snarled, tearing the restraints free as Sinestro beat a hasty retreat.  Her wife’s eyes were wide and she reeked of fear, but Astra pulled her close and hugged her, remembering just in time to modulate her strength.  Alexandra wrapped her arms around Astra awkwardly and slowly patted her back. 

< _I will never let you go again_ ,> Astra promised in High Kryptonian.  “How…how can you possibly be here?” 

“I don’t know, there was some kind of flash…Astra, we need to leave, we have to get out of there, that Sinestro guy’s got some kind of stormtroopers with guns working for him, I think we might’ve been teleported somewhere.” 

“Have no fear, my love,” Astra promised.  “Thaal Sinestro serves me.” 

“Since when?”  Alexandra sounded confused.  “Was he in Fort Rozz with you?” 

“Fort…”  Astra frowned.  “My love, what are you talking about?” 

“The prison where…”  Then Alex’s brain caught up with what Astra had said.  “Wait, _my love_?  But I’m not…I’ve never…not girls…well except for that one time with Vicky Donahue’s wrists…and the time I wanted to date Angelina Jolie…and the time I wished I was James Bond because he was dating a Russian spy and fighting that guy in space…”  She quieted with a blush.  “Um, what I mean is, what relationship do you think we have?” 

“You are not her,” Astra realized, pulling back as her eyes brimmed with tears.  “Not my wife.  Oh, Rao, no…”  She sobbed in spite of herself, and leaned back in to not-Alex.  Part of her cursed her weakness, but this was _Alexandra_ , her love, her wife, her _everything_ who she’d built this entire _world_ , the whole of the OneEarth Regime for…

And the not-Alexandra held her, soft and gentle.  “Sshhhh, OK, it’s OK, just focus on my voice…”  It was instinctual for a woman who’d grown up with a traumatized Kryptonian teenager with super-senses and the fresh loss of a homeworld, and Astra welcomed the unconditional care.  “I’m here, I’m not going anywhere…” 

It took Astra several minutes to control herself.  As Alexandra’s rubbing of her back slowed to a halt, the High Commandant pulled back, turning away.  “I apologize, Alexandra.  That was…I should not show such weakness.” 

“It’s fine,” Alex promised.  “You can be whatever you need to be around me.” 

“Others may be watching,” Astra replied, tapping her computer banks back to wakefulness from their screensaver.  Alex took in a sharp breath at the scrolling security feeds.  “I built the OneEarth Regime as an _iron machine_ , and it needs a fist of steel at its head to maintain control.” 

“Astra…”  Alex’s voice sounded hollow.  “Oh god.  You did this.  _You’re_ the one in charge, you _made_ this?” 

“For you, my love,” Astra promised her.  “After the Joker…what he did to us, I _had_ to prevent such evil from ever happening again.” 

“By creating a _police state_?”  Alex swore.  “Of course.  This is one of Kara and that Barry guy’s alternate universes.  You must’ve pulled off Myriad here.” 

“What?” asked Astra in confusion.  “The prototype mind-control device?  It was lost with Krypton after the attack by Vril Dox on Kandor and Argo City.” 

Alex’s brow furrowed in confusion.  “Then…how did we…uh…” 

Astra’s smile was sad, but it was the first time she’d done so in years.  “We met the year I landed in my escape pod from Krypton.  It was about five years after Kara landed, you and Kara had been raised as sisters and were close friends.  I was contacted by your organization, the DEO, and your leader, the Martian Manhunter, who later betrayed me.  We became…”  She sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes.  “We became close.  I begged you to allow me to join your House, but you insisted that you join mine.  We compromised with two wedding ceremonies.  You…you wished to give me the children I could not bear, and our ally Lena Luthor came up with a solution…”  Astra shuddered, and the alternate Alex cautiously lay a hand on her shoulder.  “The Joker…he poisoned me, poisoned my mind, I thought you were General Zod, and I…I _killed_ you and our daughter!”  She broke, half-collapsing onto Alex and sobbing into her shoulder once more.  She felt her not-wife lean into her and tug her tight a moment later. 

“Oh, Astra…” Alex whispered.  “I’m so sorry…” 

“I built this for _you_ ,” Astra murmured.  “The OneEarth Regime.  A world without crime, without disruption, where all are safe under my protection.  All of this is in your name.” 

“ _What_?”  Alex pulled back, horrified.  “You built… _how could you?_ What made you think I would approve of _this_?  Your goon squad nearly killed me for _walking around in the street_!” 

“Unlicensed travel cannot be permitted after curfew, it distracts Regime peacekeepers from the critical work of sweeping for the criminal element,” Astra objected.  “Think of it, my love!   No-one will ever suffer as you did, no more innocent children will die, no mothers or wives or sisters or daughters will be killed by psychotic criminals, and I will ensure this peace _forever_!” 

“At the price of basic freedom?”  Alex was _horrified_ , and Astra felt a stab of panic.  _No!_   This was wrong, this was all wrong, it was for _her_ , she would understand if only she could _see_ …

Alex yelped as Astra wrapped an arm around her and effortlessly lifted her from the ground.  “Come, my love.  Let me show you…” 

***

_Somewhere else.  Earth-V_. 

General Astra In-Ze landed hard, leaving a dent in the pavement as she rolled over and took her feet.  _What…where?... **focus**_.  Decades of commando experience and training centered her.  She was in a city—National City, perhaps?  A peculiar sigil, the symbol of Ze in black on a red background, perhaps blockier than usual, was sewn into a banner hanging from a nearby building.  Oddly, the streets appeared deserted; Astra frowned, reaching out with her senses for Kara and Alexandra…

A growl of engines, tires crunching; Astra stood, frowning.  Her gaze cut easily through the buildings; people cowered inside, afraid of something, she thought…ah, there.  Astra narrowed her eyes.  Some sort of armored personnel carrier.  Looking around, she saw more patrolling the city. 

_Now, where am I?_ She sought heartbeats, turning her head from side to side…

_Kara_.  She looked, and breathed a sigh of relief as her niece descended slowly to greet two men, one in green and one in red.  She tensed her legs to spring…

“Supreme Leader?”  The voice was deep, but oddly flat.  Astra turned.  A dark-skinned man with a glowing cybernetic eye embedded in a half-metal head jumped from a roof and landed easily some ten meters from her.  “I was unaware that you were inspecting Gotham personally today, Supreme Leader.” 

Astra narrowed her eyes.  “Henshaw?” 

“Yes, ma’am.  I am at your…”  His good eye narrowed.  “Wait.  You were _surprised_.  You assigned me this route personally.” 

Astra kicked off of the ground, floating easily on empty air.  “I am indeed surprised, cyborg.  You _dare_ to show yourself in public, after what you and your CADMUS people did to Alexandra and Kara?” 

“That was _years_ ago, I thought you cleaned my record after you co-opted CADMUS…”  Then his eye widened in realization.  “Of course.  You aren’t the Supreme Leader, you’re a duplicate, or an impostor.”  His cyber-eye glowed white-hot.  “Surrender to the OneEarth Regime immediately, Subject, or you _will_ be terminated.” 

Astra grinned mirthlessly.  “I think not.”  Her heat vision caught the Cyborg Superman in the torso, sending him collapsing backwards with a roar of pain. 

She heard Kara shout with surprise, and half-turned, realizing her mistake as the Cyborg Superman cannoned into her, sending them crashing into the side of a building.  Astra snarled, elbowing the cyborg partway off of her and then grabbing him in a bull-rush back out into the open. 

“Henshaw to Watch—” Astra cut him off with a palm to the throat, and Henshaw lurched back, gurgling.  Her follow-up blow sent him flying backwards to crash through a fire hydrant.  _Oops_.  Rao damn it, Astra was supposed to be _watching_ collateral damage…

Henshaw stood remarkably quickly, but Astra In-Ze had spent decades as one of Krypton’s elite commandos.  She slipped around him, her arm coming across his throat, and jerked back.  Henshaw let out a metallic groan, his cybernetic-reinforced throat resisting Astra’s super-strength.  _Damn_.  She’d have to brute-force him. 

“You will regret this,” Henshaw promised, voice hoarse and rasping.  “You’re just a shadow of the Supreme Leader.  She’s fought everything from Black Adam to Doomsday.” 

“Will you _shut up_?” Astra snarled, then clotheslined him halfway down the block with one blow.  Henshaw got to his feet with a groan, and Astra supersped up, blasting him with her freeze breath and following up with a hammer-blow uppercut to the chin while the cyborg was disoriented.  Henshaw retaliated with his imitation heat-vision, and Astra ducked, sweeping the former Human off of his feet before rolling back up and slamming punch after punch at his head. 

“Damn it!” Henshaw grunted, taking the hits on his cyber-arms; Astra grappled at them, forcing his arms out of the way, and slammed her forehead into his nose.  Henshaw let out a choked wail and kicked up, forcing Astra off with inhuman strength, rolled to his feet as the General caught herself, and leaped three hundred feet straight up to grab onto one of the buildings.  “Henshaw to Watchtower, we have a class-alpha hostile, infiltrator, possible shapeshifter…” 

Astra made to follow, but someone grabbed her arm.  “Come on!” Kara hissed, something off about her costume.  “We need to get out of here, He’ll bring half the Regime down on us!” 

“What is happening?” Astra demanded.  “And why is there a gold border on your cape?” 

“I’m this universe’s Kara, I lead the Resistance,” and she shot a blast of heat vision after Henshaw, “I brought you here, we need to go _now_ or they’re going to swarm us with supers.” 

It was improbable, but this was _Kara_.  Astra nodded crisply and stood at attention on air.  “Where do we go?” 

“Follow me, we have a safe house…”  Another Kara descended, this one in the costume Astra knew, and flew to the General’s side. 

“Aunt Astra, are you OK?  Ollie and Barry are here and they’re evil, but they said they work for you, the other me says she’ll explain, are you alright?” 

“I am intact, Kara,” Astra assured her, then nodded to the other Kara.  “Lead the way.” 

***

_Resistance headquarters.  Earth-V_. 

The room was lined with lead, buried fifty meters belowground and guarded by automated lasers that Other Kara nearly forgot to turn off.  After that mildly terrifying moment, the three Kryptonians assembled inside a somewhat cramped conference room, Other Kara taking the head of the table as the other women sat. 

“It started five years ago,” Other Kara began.  “The Joker…he poisoned Astra, my Astra, with a mind-control cocktail created to make her see Alex as him.  In the haze, Astra killed Alex and their unborn daughter.” 

“Um…” Kara spoke up.  “Unborn daughter?” 

“Yeah, after they got married my version of Alex and Astra decided to start a family.” 

“ _Married_?” 

“Wait, they’re not together in your universe?”  Kara shook her head.  Other Kara glared at Astra, who suddenly felt very, very defensive.  “OK, what happened?  Did you hurt her feelings?” 

“I most certainly have not!” Astra shot back.  “Well, not intentionally.  And we were technically enemies until one and one-half local years ago…” 

“Oh, Rao, don’t tell me all of you are _straight_!” 

“Um…I’m pretty sure that they’re both gay in my universe,” Kara spoke up.  “They go out for fancy dinners and claim they’re just roommates.” 

Other Kara shook her head.  “I don’t believe it.  The _one_ alternate universe I’m able to contact, and it’s the one where you two didn’t get together.  Wonderful.”  She pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned.  “I’m sorry.  It’s been a long five years.” 

“Can we just go back to the daughter part?” Kara asked, in the voice of someone trying _very, very hard_ to be open-minded and not quite succeeding.  “I know Alex is gay, but…” 

“They were going to adopt, but then there was an incident, and they got rejected, and Alex was kidnapped by the H’San Natall, but my universe’s Astra and I saved her, and then Lena got ideas from the H’San Natall technology, because Lena’s the best, and Astra—my Astra—was all anxious because Alex wanted to carry the baby and my Alex was exasperated but they made up and the baby, she was so _cute_ in the sonograms and we were all so happy for them…”  Other Kara sniffled and wiped her nose.  “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s OK,” Kara assured her duplicate, rallying valiantly for Other Kara’s sake.  “We don’t mind, take your time.” 

“Anyway.  The Joker brainwashed my Astra to kill my Alex, then he blew up National City with a nuke that he bought from Russian separatists.  Astra…didn’t take it well.  She killed the Joker, then she gave a speech to the country in her costume.  She said that the ‘soft-hearted approach to crime and terrorism’ that we’d been using had failed, and that she would build a better, more secure world.” 

“That doesn’t sound good,” Kara noted. 

“I didn’t realize that at first.  I was grieving, too.  Astra co-opted CADMUS, ran for President and won in a landslide, it was the first time that a public superhero ran as their super identity for office.  She had the backing of about half of Congress, plus another quarter that CADMUS bought out or controlled for her.  She promised to use her powers to end crime and suffering, and got a lot of support from the populace, and there were five deaths on the Supreme Court in relatively quick succession, mostly justices who struck down her executive orders, so she was able to pack the court. 

“Then she declared martial law.  She abolished the Constitution, set herself up as dictator, and brought in Sinestro and his Yellow Lanterns from offworld.  Most supers and even a lot of civilians supported her—it was for the safety of innocent people, after all.  The other nations of Earth capitulated in months.  The last county that didn’t submit, North Korea, tried to nuke the US, their dictator cared only about his own power, but Astra reversed their missile and blasted Pyongyang down to the bedrock, killing ten million people—not just the dictator and his cronies, millions of innocents in the nuke and the famine that followed the collapse of the state.  She called it an _object lesson_.  That was when I realized that I couldn’t support her anymore, before I’d justified it to myself as a hard necessity, but after that…”  Other Kara shook her head.  “I couldn’t keep going.  I tried to cut back what I was doing, to get out quietly, but then…J’onn told her that she was wrong.  That she was going too far.  Astra…”  Kara shuddered.  “My universe’s Astra burned a hole through his head and told me to clean up the mess.” 

Astra gripped her Kara’s shoulder in reassurance as the younger woman gasped.  Other Kara continued, tears in her eyes. 

“I defected to the Resistance then.  Maxwell Lord, the philanthropist, is supporting us, he’s officially pro-Regime but bankrolls the Resistance under the table, and Lena faked her death with the help of her assistant, who’s officially pro-Regime but runs the company for Lena, so we have some resources.  We’ve tried to take down their patrols, but there’s not much we can do without killing more people, and I want to avoid that as much as we can.  But then Max and Lena developed a new synthetic Kryptonite, and I realized we might have a chance to end this nightmare; if we can depose Astra, we can rescind the demand she made that the Green Lanterns stay off of earth, so that we’ll be able to fight off Sinestro’s goons, and with Astra depowered we can restrain her and hold her for trial.  I have a plan to take down Astra, but I need help.  _Your_ help.” 

“I support this plan,” Astra said. 

“I was following you right up until the Maxwell Lord bit,” Kara admitted. 

“Why, what’s he like in your universe?” 

“Creepy Ayn Rand-loving sexist pervert.” 

Other Kara made a face.  “Yuck.  I’m glad our Max is better.” 

“What about me?” said a voice that made Astra instinctively think of leeches.  “Also, hello, I’m Max, this is Lena, we’re the tech support.  Pleasure to meet you.” 

“Their version of you is terrible,” Other Kara replied.  “Astra, Kara, meet my universe’s Maxwell Lord and Lena Luthor.” 

“Hi, baby,” Other Lena said, planting a kiss on Other Kara’s lips.  Kara made an undignified squeaking sound, and Astra looked at her, concerned, as the superheroine went beet-red.  “We’ve got the Gold Kryptonite ready, but delivery’s going to be a problem.” 

“What about Lex’s battlesuit?” 

“We’ve—well, mostly Lena—got it mostly functional,” Other Maxwell Lord said. 

“It was a team effort,” Lena countered.  “The weapons systems are still glitchy and the navigation system’s software’s shoddy enough that I wouldn’t take it flying, and patching it would take days, but the plating’s intact and the motorization works.” 

“How long do you need?” Other Kara asked. 

Lena looked at Lord, who shook his head.  “It’s not going to be fully functional,” the man admitted.  “However, I’m willing to risk it as long as I pilot.” 

“I could pull it off,” Lena argued. 

“Kara needs _you_ , not me,” Lord countered.  “If something goes wrong, better for the expendable one to take the fall.” 

Astra nudged her universe’s Kara gently as the blonde stared open-mouthed at Other Lena.  “Little One?  Are you well?” 

“ _Lena Lesbian is a Luthor,_ ” Kara squeaked.  “I mean, Lena Luthor is…Oh Rao, is that why Lena wears those dresses with, with the thing and the boobs and the... Is she trying to seduce me?  Seduce me with her boobs?  Lesbian boobs?"” 

Astra frowned at that.  “I do not think that Lena Luthor would be so… _aggressive_ , but I am quite certain that she has been attempting to politely express interest in you in the Human manner.  For at least a year.” 

“ _Oh, Rao_ ,” Kara sighed, and buried her face in her hands.  “I think I might be gay.” 

“I mean…I think most of our family is gay or bi,” Other Kara said, the other conversation having paused at Kara’s awkward outburst.  “I’m bi, this universe’s Astra and Alex are both gay…so, you’re far from alone.  If it helps.” 

“I know Alex is gay,” Kara clarified.  “I…oh Rao.  If you’re gay…does that make _me_ gay?  But I thought that everybody knew Lena’s the most beautiful…oh.  That’s…um.  That was why Alex was teasing me about what I said about Lucy smelling nice…oh Rao, I’m an idiot.  Um.  OK.  This is something I really should’ve considered before.” 

“If it helps,” Other Lena said, “I nearly had to propose to this one before she realized that I’d basically been dating her.” 

Other Kara blushed.  “That was the most awkward dinner ever.” 

“But we talked it through,” Other Lena reminded her.  “Anyway.  The main problem with taking on the High Commandant—our universe’s Astra—is that she’s got backup.  Cyborg Superman, Sinestro, and she can get supersoldiers powered by a drug called TITAN if she has a little warning time.” 

“What about Kal-El?” Astra asked. 

“He, Bruce, and Diana were stuck in another dimension fighting Darkseid and his Parademons six years ago, and it’ll be at least three more before the time-lock opens,” Other Kara explained.  “It’s complicated.” 

Kara shrugged, bravely trying to restrain her sudden need to reevaluate the vast majority of her life experiences.  “I’ve heard stranger.  I spent two dozen years in the Phantom Zone and came out to find my baby cousin an adult who got married while I was asleep, and I regularly jump across universes to spend time with my friends from other universes.  And fight alien invasions, evil Nazi timelines, and, well, you know, the usual.”  Other Kara nodded with a grimace. 

“Long story short, Clark’s not available,” Other Kara said.  “So we needed more Kryptonians, and we managed to get a lock on your quantum signatures.” 

“With three Kryptonians, we should be able to contain Astra’s—I mean, the High Commandant’s—minions, and take her down with gold Kryptonite,” the disturbingly non-sleazy Maxwell Lord explained.  “It should depower her permanently, and allow us to contain her and dismantle the OneEarth Regime.” 

“Isn’t that a little drastic?” Kara asked, concerned. 

“I support this plan,” Astra cut in.  All eyes turned to her.  “This…other me…has become the antithesis of what Alexandra has encouraged me to become.  If she did truly love this universe’s Alexandra, the other me has betrayed Alexandra’s ideals.”  The General shook her head.  “She must be stopped by any means necessary, and it would be better, in my opinion, to leave her powerless, to contemplate her mistakes for eternity.” 

“That’s…wow.  I, ah, never thought of it that way,” Other Kara admitted.  Kara said nothing, but her eyes were dark and sad.  “So…we’ve got to do this fast, because Astra’s planning something, something to do with the Yellow Lanterns that Sinestro sent out across the universe last year.  We think she’s building a new, larger Yellow Lantern army, and we won’t be able to fight that kind of firepower.  We have to depower her _fast_ or things’ll get even worse.” 

“I see only one reason to tarry, then,” Astra said, standing.  “Alexandra was with us when we were brought here.  Where is she?” 

Other Kara bit her lip.  Astra felt a chill run down her back.  “ _What happened to her?_ ” 

“She…she came out in a different spot from where I expected.  Sinestro caught her.  She’s been brought to the High Commandant herself.” 

Astra’s fist ripped right through the table, pulverizing the metal into dust and shards instantly. 

***

_The Watchtower.  Observation deck level_. 

Alex wanted to vomit. 

“What have you _done_?” she whispered, looking over the black-uniformed soldiers marching in Astra’s name.  The dictator floated on air, holding Alex hundreds of feet above the city below. 

“I have _ended_ crime and suffering.  I have protected this world as I failed to do before.  I have ensured that _no-one_ will suffer as you did, ever again.”  The High Commandant’s arms were gentle as she held Alex close, her breath ghosting Alex’s ear and making the agent shiver.  “Isn’t it beautiful?  A world free of pain and need.” 

“It’s a world run by jackbooted stormtroopers for a dictator, where even _walking around in the streets_ in the evening is enough to get _shot_.”  Alex’s voice was cold.  “How _could_ you?” 

Air rushed around her as the High Commandant darted back to the observation deck, setting Alex down.  “I did what had to be done,” the Kryptonian argued.  “I was _weak_ before.  I was weak, and I lost you, I awoke from the Joker’s miasma with your blood on my hands, and…”  She shuddered, drawing Alex close.  “Oh, Alexandra.  I _lost_ you.  I will make it right this time, I promise.  We will be happy, I will rebuild our house and we will live together forever, I swear to you.” 

“I…um…I think I really should figure out what went wrong and get back to the world I remember,” Alex squeaked, feeling something not entirely unpalatable coil around her heart at the thought of buying a house and living with the Astra she knew…maybe a dog, and she hadn’t really thought of the possibility but she had to admit that Astra was strong and intelligent and generally the kind of woman she’d want to have kids with.  _Goddamn it, Alex, control yourself…_   She forced herself to stop coiling the High Commandant’s hair in her fingers, and just awkwardly hugged the crying dictator.  “Kara needs me…” 

High Commandant Astra pulled back, shaking her head.  “Kara needs to _grow up_.” 

“What do you mean?” 

The dictator snarled.  “She _betrayed_ me.  First the Martian, now her—that foolish girl joined the Resistance, all because of one little pacification.” 

“Astra.”  Alex gripped her shoulders.  “What happened?” 

“The so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ of North Korea refused to bow to me,” Astra sniffed.  “He attempted to launch a nuclear weapon at one of my cities.  I redirected it and killed him with it.” 

“With a _nuke_?” 

“I deemed the civilian casualties acceptable for the object lesson,” the dictator replied.  Alex felt a gaping pit in her stomach.  _Oh my god.  She’s not just misguided, she’s_ evil _._ “Please, do not be alarmed.  I know that it was a...harsh decision, but it was necessary for the greater good.” 

“ _Greater good_?”  Alex scoffed.  “Assuming you hit Pyongyang, that’s hundreds of thousands of casualties right there, including the North Korean regime’s victims.  Not to mention the people who’d die in the chaos and famine in the aftermath.” 

“A scant ten million brainwashed thralls for an end to war and crime for _eternity_ was an acceptable price to pay,” the High Commandant countered.  “Because of my actions, super-criminals are _extinct_.  Earth is known across the galaxy as an ordered, crime-free society, one where war is nonexistent and need long gone.” 

“At the cost of basic sentient rights!” 

“ _I did what I had to do!_ ”  Her hands gripped the sides of Alex’s head, and the agent whimpered, her heartbeat jumping thirty beats per minute.  Astra withdrew immediately, looking horrified.  “Oh Alexandra, I am so sorry, I did not mean…” 

Alex held up a hand, shaking her head.  “Stop.  Just…stop.  I can’t take it right now.” 

“I…”  The High Commandant quieted, and nodded, tears in her eyes.  Alex stumbled to the edge of the balcony, gripping the railing and breathing heavily. 

“What was she like?” Alex asked.  “The other me?”  Was this _her_ fault, the other her?  If she hadn’t convinced Astra to switch sides in this universe…

“You were…my wife was the most wonderful person I have ever known,” the High Commandant murmured, her voice rough, squeezing out the third-person like it was painful.  “I loved her more than anything, and when I lost her I broke.”  Her voice shook.  “When I recovered, when I was able to function like a person again, I knew what I had to do.  The masses are unruly children, and it is my _duty_ to control them.  I lost the love of my life through my failure to perform that duty, and I will not do so again.” 

Alex nodded once.  “What was she _like_ , though?  I mean…”  She grimaced.  “I just…want to know her.  Like, in person.” 

Astra hesitantly closed in behind her.  “I have her last message.  If you want to listen to it.  And there are pictures, in my quarters.” 

Alex quashed the horrible mix of _revulsion_ at the High Commandant’s presence and _Astraastraastra_ that flared up at the presence of a woman so exactly like her Kryptonian ( _alright, Jesus, Alex, she’s your sister’s aunt, you need to get over this crush—wait when did this become a crush?_ ), and nodded.  “Alright.  You can, uh, you can take me there.” 

“Of course, my love.”  The High Commandant picked her up gently, ever so soft and kind with Alex, and lifted off. 

***

_En route to Metropolis_. 

Astra dipped lower in the air, alongside the thrumming engines of the battlesuit.  “It took you years to refurbish this?” 

“Three,” the surprisingly non-asinine Maxwell Lord confirmed.  “Lena chipped in around six months in and we actually started making progress then.”  The metal contraption’s rockets sputtered momentarily.  “Damn it, we needed more _time_.” 

“Sadly, a tactician must often make do with what they have.”  Astra pulled herself closer, lowering her voice.  “Your version of Lena Luthor mentioned something about quantum signatures.  Can you use that to…” 

“As far as Lena can tell, your Agent Danvers is alright.  She’s in the Watchtower—the OneEarth headquarters, in Metropolis—but either she’s alive or they’re moving her body up and down the building, which isn’t too likely.  Honestly, she’s probably the only safe one here, because the High Commandant…well…” 

“I know,” Astra replied.  “No version of me can help but…be attracted to her.  I…ah…it would of course be inappropriate for me to court her…” 

Lord chuckled.  “This is Earth.  We tend to be a little more free-wheeling.  Heck, before Ast--the High Commandant took over, I knew a couple dozen people in Hollywood who were in some variety of unusual relationship.  Poly, open relationships, one lady who kept prostitutes on retainer because she said they were “more honest” than partners she didn’t pay for.”  He grimaced.  “And a couple of guys who were particularly creepy.  But unfortunately, there’s only so much you can do against money and power, even if you have money and power, and the creeps are always careful to avoid acting like that to people _with_ more money and power than they’ve got, so they keep their rears covered.” 

“There were similar problems on Krypton,” Astra admitted.  “Our society…had its flaws.” 

Lord turned his head to her, eyebrow raised.  “That’s the first time I’ve heard _any_ version of you admit that your planet had any flaws that weren’t the High Council’s fault.” 

Astra’s jaw was set and eyes cold.  “I am from another universe.  My niece encountered a man called Barry Allen, who had a friend named Ronald Raymond.  An alternate-universe duplicate of the latter was a depraved psychopath.  It is entirely likely that the High Commandant is a very different person from me.  Indeed, she has proven that she is unworthy of Alexandra’s affections by her betrayal.” 

“You’re not certain.” 

Astra grimaced.  “No.  But I hope that I am right.” 

“If it’s any help…I think you are, too.” 

Astra raised an eyebrow at him.  “Thank you.  If it helps—you are a far better man than the Maxwell Lord I know.” 

Lord grinned.  “Well, that seems a bit like damning with faint praise, but thank you all the same, I try my best.” 

“The Maxwell Lord I know is far too arrogant to give any form of credit to Lena Luthor.” 

The man in the battlesuit winced.  “Ugh.  From what you’ve said, frankly I have a hard time believing that this guy’s actually a counterpart of me.  He sounds like an asshole.  I mean, I know I can be a bit full of myself sometimes, but Lena’s the best engineer I know, anyone who tries to ignore her or her accomplishments is an idiot.”  He paused.  “So…what happened to the other me?” 

“Kara put him in time-out.”  Astra couldn’t quite hide the vindictive pride in her voice.  “Then I had a Talk with him after he convinced one of his sleazy friends, a Mr. Morgan Edge, to come to National City and interfere with Kara’s everyday life.  He relocated his business to Alaska at great expense.” 

Lord grimaced.  “Please, warn me if I start to sound like that guy.”  His battlesuit beeped, and he pulled an arm up.  “Commander Zor-El!  Incoming contacts!” 

“I see them!” Other Kara called back.  “Astra, Sinestro, and Cyborg Superman by the looks of it.” 

“They pulled out the big guns,” Lord commented.  “Watch your back, General, and be on the lookout for speedsters.” 

“I will,” Astra replied, pulling away.  “Be safe and sure in your strike.” 

Astra felt a chill run up her spine as she beheld her duplicate, the High Commandant standing aloof on the air, a silver cape fluttering behind her black-clad form, chin held high as she glared down at the approaching heroes. 

“AUNT ASTRA!” Other Kara shouted, pulling up to a halt.  “I’ve come to bargain!” 

The High Commandant sneered.  “Do not lie to me, Kara.  You came to fight—even brought, I see, another traitor to my Regime.” 

“Wait,” Astra cautioned Other Kara, darting forwards.  “I can handle this.”  She turned to her duplicate, the other woman’s eyes cold and haughty.  A pang of regret stabbed through Astra as she realized that this is how she must have first appeared to Alexandra.  Haughty, aloof, _arrogant_ , deluded in her certainty that she was correct and everyone else was beneath her. 

“You have my heartbeat,” the High Commandant noted as her doppelganger pulled to a halt in midair.  “So, not a shapeshifter, as Henshaw thought.” 

“Is Alexandra safe?” Astra demanded. 

“She is in the Watchtower.”  The High Commandant jerked her head back towards the building looming over the skyline. 

“If you have harmed her…” 

The High Commandant’s eyes ignited, and she grabbed the front of Astra’s bodysuit.  Astra heard the Karas dart forwards, and held up a hand swiftly to stop them.  “ _How dare you!  I would never allow harm to come to my wife_!” 

“And yet,” Astra replied, disgust bubbling beneath her words, “you have betrayed her.” 

“ _Why you_ …” 

“You have betrayed _everything_ she has fought for!” Astra pushed back, her voice steady and eyes hard.  “This tyranny, the subjugation of a world and its people as if they are unruly children and you their parent—this is _precisely_ what I wanted to do with Myriad, _and she stopped me_.  I am sympathetic to your pain—I cannot _imagine_ losing my Brave One, myself; but that does _not_ excuse betraying every ideal that Alexandra holds.” 

“All of this is for _her_ ,” the High Commandant snarled.  “And if your vision is too limited to see the purpose behind my great work, you will die or be re-educated with the rest of them.” 

Astra didn’t waste time with pithy remarks, but merely brought her left up to block the High Commandant’s blow as her right hammered into the dictator’s abdomen.  They split apart, and their heat vision met in midair.  Astra was swept aside by a yellow hand-construct—a Green Lantern, using the color of fear?—but was caught by Kara as Surprisingly Decent Maxwell Lord kicked his battlesuit’s engines into gear. 

He didn’t remind them about the knife.  Good man, keeping the operation secure. 

“Focus on the Lantern,” Astra told Kara.  “And watch for…”  Her eyes tracked a crackling blur on the ground.  “Speedster!” 

“On it!” Kara replied, diving after not-Barry Allen as Astra turned to speed towards the Yellow Lantern.  Other Kara would handle the Cyborg Superman; Astra needed to take down the Yellow Lantern _fast_ and then get back on the High Commandant to distract her. 

“A pity that you could not see the truth of the Supreme Leader’s vision,” the Yellow Lantern snarled as he threw a swarm of glittering spines at Astra.  “You will regret defying her.” 

“I regret many things,” Astra countered, snapping out a blast of heat vision that the Lantern blocked with a construct wall.  “My actions today are not among those regrets.” 

“You will when we re-educate you into a loyal servant of the Regime,” the man sneered, slinging a mace that missed Astra by an inch as she ducked high.  “I am curious, though—how did you pierce the veil between dimensions?” 

“Why should I tell you?” Astra challenged, slipping under the man’s next blow, then streaking up with eyes blazing.  The man ducked backwards with a curse, and Astra narrowly dodged a construct wall in her path.  “Even if I knew the means.” 

“If you had the knowledge, and shared it, I might spare you some of the more _extreme_ stages of re-education,” the Lantern replied coldly.  Astra grabbed his next construct, a yellow lasso, and _yanked_ on it, but the man let the construct drop before she could pull him close.  “As it stands, however, I will take some certain professional pleasure at breaking you, General In-Ze.” 

“You will have to restrain me first,” Astra countered, and spun through the man’s swirling spiral of construct swords to grab him by the shoulders.  “Good luck with that.”  Her first punch slammed into his construct-armored ribs, and he gasped in pain, buckling. 

“You _dare_ …to harm Sinestro?” 

“I dare _many_ things, when my wife is in danger.”  She didn’t have time to realize what she’d just said, this fight was too evenly matched.  Astra head-butted him, and the man groaned, struggling to focus on her. 

A punch in the face, and he slumped in her grasp.  Astra felt a whisper in the air behind her, and spun, kicking Sinestro away. 

The High Commandant’s heat-gaze slammed into Astra’s chest, sending her flying backwards three hundred meters before she caught herself and leaped back into the fray. 

“You have disabled my lieutenant!” the High Commandant shouted, and Astra met her gaze with her own as she tracked Lord’s movement in the battlesuit with her ears.  The first run must have failed, then.  “You begin to _frustrate_ me, doppelganger!” 

“Then I am doing my duty,” Astra replied, forcing herself closer to her evil duplicate.  Lord was behind her, the battlesuit laboring slightly but still functional.  “I understand your desperation, High Commandant.  In my universe, I attempted to take over Krypton, and later Earth, with the Myriad program.  I was desperate, afraid of seeing the destruction of a _planet_ if I did not act.  It took Alexandra’s courage and dedication to show me how wrong I was.”  Her eyes were beginning to itch under the strain, the High Commandant’s gaze boring down onto hers.  “If you surrender now and deliver her to me unharmed, I promise that no harm will come to you.” 

“You do not deserve Alexandra’s love, _coward_ ,” the High Commandant snarled.  “You lack the will to do what is necessary.  You will…” 

“Now!” Astra cried.  Lord jolted forwards in the battlesuit…

The High Commandant ducked, Astra’s heat gaze tearing past her and ripping through a building before she shut it off, and the dictator grabbed Lord by the shoulder, her other hand gripping the weapon arm of the battlesuit.  She snarled angrily as she felt the evil rays of the Gold K. 

“What is this?  Kryptonite?” 

“Gold K,” Lord managed.  “It was worth a shot.” 

“You _fool_.”  Astra lunged for her duplicate, but it was too late.  The High Commandant released Lord’s shoulder, holding him up by the battlesuit’s arm, and punched the helmet, tearing through triple-hardened titanium and pulping his head instantly. 

_Damn it all!_   A Kryptonian couldn’t safely handle the Gold K, and the High Commandant dropped Lord’s body quickly enough that when Astra hit her she only yelled in pain rather than being crushed.  Astra ran through the options as she punched at her doppelganger; the battlesuit and Gold K had been their _one_ shot, and without those…

A noose tightened around Astra’s neck, and she was pulled backwards, choking.  “You should not have _underestimated_ me, General In-Ze,” Sinestro snarled, hauling her up by the neck as the High Commandant recovered in mid-air.  His breathing was labored and wheezing, but his control over the ring’s power was still strong.  “Supreme Leader, are you injured?” 

“Fortunately not severely,” the High Commandant replied, sneering at Astra.  “Kill her, she is too dangerous to re-educate.” 

“At once, Supreme—”  Sinestro cut off as Kara cannoned into him, the construct shattering.  The High Commandant swore in High Kryptonian, then lunged for Astra, who backhanded her away. 

“Kara!” Astra forced out as loudly as she could, “Retreat!  We cannot win now, we must pull back and regroup!” 

Other Kara grabbed her.  “We can still take the…” 

“It would weaken us too much.”  Astra blasted her doppelganger in the chest and sent her flying into the sky, but it was a temporary measure at best.  “A Kryptonian cannot handle that abomination safely.” 

Other Kara bit her lip, but nodded.  Kara sped up to them, and Astra turned in the air, Other Kara following her as she fled. 

The High Commandant and her battered minions didn’t follow.  Astra hated to flee, hated to leave her Alexandra at risk up there in that tower, but certain death would be nothing but a waste of lives and would do nothing to help the Human. 

_We_ will _find a way,_ Astra promised to herself.  _No matter what_. 

***

_The Watchtower_. 

Sinestro dumped the blood-splattered battlesuit to the ground in a heap, the golden glow of the Gold Kryptonite spike sticking from the right hand.  Alex started forwards as the High Commandant landed, glowering darkly.  Part of her wanted to check every inch of the other Astra despite herself, but Alex sat on the urge with practiced ease born of rooming with a relatively non-evil Astra In-Ze for over a year. 

“What happened?  Astra, did you _kill_ …” 

“He betrayed the Regime,” the High Commandant snarled.  “One of my most loyal servants, and best engineers, and he _betrayed_ my Regime!” 

“They do not fear you sufficiently, Supreme Leader,” Sinestro said, his power ring glowing with evil yellow light.  “True power, true control and _domination_ , requires…” 

“Cease your overheated philosophizing,” the dictator snapped.  “I know what must be done.  Alexandra, my love, they attempted to kill me with some new Kryptonite weapon.” 

“Gold K,” Alex confirmed.  “If you’re wounded with it, or suffer concentrated exposure, it’ll damage your cellular structure and DNA, depowering you for a long time, possibly for good.” 

“Study it,” the High Commandant ordered.  “Find an antidote, I know that you can, Alexandra.” 

“I’m _not_ working for you.” 

The High Commandant sighed, picking Alex up and holding her close.  “Please, Alexandra, I _need_ you.  I need your help, and I need _you_.  Is there any way that I can…” 

“You can take this fascist hellhole apart and submit to a court for judgement,” Alex replied. 

“Supreme Leader,” Sinestro began, but Astra shushed him with an upraised hand. 

“My love, I know that you remember things differently…” 

“I saw the fight on the monitors, Astra.  My sister and my version of Astra In-Ze are out there, and I know them; they won’t let a temporary setback stop them.  They’ll come for me as soon as they know I’m here, and they won’t stop until this regime of yours is dust.” 

“ _Please_ , Alex!”  The dictator gripped Alex’s shoulders gently, eyes beseeching.  “I _need_ your support in this, my love.  I know…I know that I am not _your_ Astra, but this world _needs_ me.  And I need _you_.” 

Astra looked into her eyes.  Something shifted in her own expression, but then she nodded.  “I…I suppose that it _is_ a danger to all Kryptonians…and I don’t want to see you hurt.  Any version of you.”  She grimaced, but nodded.  “Alright.  Just…please try not to hurt anyone.  And we need to talk about reducing the whole totalitarianism thing.” 

“Excellent.”  The High Commandant picked Alex up into her arms with ease and turned her head to Sinestro, whose slight frown disappeared as his gaze turned from Alex.  “Bring the weapon, shielded of course, up for Alexandra to study as soon as it is safe to bring into my presence.  Then prepare Operation Kandor as we discussed.” 

Sinestro saluted crisply.  “At once, Supreme Leader.” 

***

_15 minutes later_. 

High Commandant Astra’s eyes were only a little bit red around the edges when she arrived in the Watchtower’s hangar bay.  Sinestro, Henshaw, and the Flash were already prepared, stoic loyalty upon their faces.  “You know what must be done,” Astra began.  “The people do not fear me as they should.  They lack the fear and respect for the Regime that it requires.  We will remedy that today.”  She came to a halt, and the Regime’s top enforcers saluted crisply.  “I have ordered Regime peacekeepers to begin quarantining Gotham City.  We will go there at once and begin the destruction of the city, to demonstrate the power that we possess and the respect that these ignorant children should show us.  Henshaw, Allen, you will primarily monitor for and engage hostile forces, particularly Resistance operatives.  Am I clear?” 

They saluted crisply, even the Flash, and chanted _yes, High Commandant_ with military precision.  Astra smiled in pride at her minions’ loyalty.  They had stuck with her even after Kara’s and the Martian’s betrayals; they truly knew who held the power on this world. 

***

_Resistance HQ_. 

“Contacts report that the High Commandant and her bodyguards are in motion,” Other Kara reported.  Kara and Astra looked up from where they were halfway through their food, craving fuel after the stress of battle.  “She’s initiated Operation Kandor and she’s headed for Gotham City.” 

“Operation Kandor?” Astra asked. 

“The destruction of the city.”  Kara gasped.  “She told me that it was in case of occupation, but it’s really a terror tool.  She’s going to destroy Gotham City with people still inside it to prove again that she’s to be feared.  It’s a kind of perverse retribution for perceived treachery.” 

Astra was already on her feet, Kara hot on her heels.  “We must stop her.” 

Other Kara shook her head.  “The Gold K was our only chance.  We have to face facts; we’ve lost.  If we go out there now…” 

“We will die,” Astra confirmed.  “But at least we will die _for_ something, in battle with courage and honor rather than hiding in a cave like terrified rats.” 

“I…”  Other Kara had tears in her eyes.  “I don’t know if I’m strong enough,” she confessed.  “She’s my aunt, I fought _for_ her at first, this is partially my fault, I can’t just…” 

“You can,” Astra insisted.  “You can, because you are Kara Zor-El.” 

“And we don’t quit,” Kara cut in.  “You and I, we’re the same, genetically I mean.  If I could fight Rhea Gand when she turned out to have Kryptonite in her blood, we can go out on this suicide mission if it means saving lives.  And besides…” 

“…that’s what we put the suit on to do,” Other Kara whispered.  “Saving lives.”  She straightened, her eyes hardening.  “You’ve got a point.  Come on, let’s do this before I lose my nerve again.” 

“You won’t,” Kara insisted.  “We’re not _that_ different, Kara.  We’re both big girls.  Let’s put on our big-girl pants and go risk our lives for what’s right.” 

***

_The Watchtower._

Alex hit _Play_ on the recording again, her eyes full of tears.  As she listened, she couldn’t drag her eyes away from the picture in the center of High Commandant Astra’s little shrine, the one with the other Alex grinning wide, Astra leaning over her right shoulder with a similarly wide beam, both their hands over Other Alex’s swelling abdomen.  _So much horror from something so…_

Perfect.  Alex almost laughed.  Of course.  Her and Astra’s counterparts had had everything.  No wonder everything had promptly gone to shit. 

“ _Astra?  Honey, where are you?  Kara told me what happened, I’m headed to the DEO.  I’m safe, the Joker’s been caught, but I need to know you’re OK, alright?_ ”  The sound of a door opening in the background, then a gasp.  “ _Astra!  Oh, god, you scared me…_ ”  A pause, then, concerned, “ _Baby?_ ”  Another pause, then a crash.  “ _Shit!_ ”  A thump, and Other Alex screamed, then sobbed.  A crackle of interference from brimming heat vision hissed over the speaker. 

“ _Astra.  You’re being mind-controlled_.”  The voice got a bit louder, Other Alex struggling to control herself.  “ _In case you don’t shake it off—baby, I love you, and this isn’t your fault_.  _Don’t blame yourself, OK?  Talk to Kara, please, don’t shut her out…_ ”  Other Alex choked on her own voice.  “ _Oh, god.  Astra, I love…_ ” 

There was a crackle and _snapp_ ing sound as the heat vision fired, and the message went to a dial tone.  Alex hit the _stop_ button with shaking fingers. 

It was her.  It was what she’d say, generally speaking.  She’d want her Kryptonians to talk to each other, to support each other if she were gone. 

This wasn’t her fault. 

Alex turned the dagger over in her hands, her eyes flicking to the computer as Astra’s tracker closed in on Gotham City.  The Gold K was somehow _warm_ in her hands, the radiation, harmless to Humans, giving off a slight tingle to her fingers.  She knew what it would do, she’d studied it and talked with Superman about it once and worked with J’onn to try to find a way to protect her sister from it (with no successes so far). 

She made a decision.  Alex stood, tucking the knife into her belt, and strode for the Watchtower’s hangar bay.  She’d seen some Kryptonian-based aircraft, and she knew Kryptonian controls.  One of those would get her to Gotham in time. 

***

_Gotham City_. 

Astra hit the ground with a groan, the High Commandant’s eyes smoldering as she slammed Astra a full six inches into the asphalt.  “ _You should not have returned_ ,” the dictator snarled, and she turned her head up, heat vision slicing a building apart like it was butter.  Astra grappled for her, but her duplicate had the superior position and a hand on Astra’s throat.  “Now I have to kill you,” Astra’s evil duplicate continued, tone resigned, as if this were somehow _Astra_ ’s fault.  “And between my troops and my lieutenants, even with Sinestro’s and Henshaw’s injuries, my traitorous niece and her counterpart from your dimension _will_ be brought down eventually.  You cannot stop me; you are but a pale shadow of me, without the will or the strength to do what must be done.” 

Astra wheezed, clawing at the hands on her throat; she could last for nearly a quarter of a Terran hour with full lungs, but she’d had most of the air forced out of her by the impact and her duplicate’s knee on her chest.  She heard a roaring sound like engines, but it might’ve been the blood in her ears.  The High Commandant grinned cruelly, her fingers slowly tightening…

“ASTRA!” 

The High Commandant’s grip relaxed as she half-turned, and Astra gasped desperately for air.  “Alexandra?  You should have stayed at the Watchtower, this place is not safe!” 

“I couldn’t let you come out here without me,” Alexandra confessed.  The High Commandant rose from Astra, and the General turned onto her side, panting for her breath.  “They might’ve had more Gold K.” 

“There is no need to worry,” Astra’s doppelganger promised, approaching Astra’s Human, and every instinct in the Kryptonian urged her to charge, to strike, to protect Alexandra, but her vision was spotty and only just starting to clear…

“Just in case, though, I thought…” 

“Always so sweet,” the High Commandant chuckled, with a bit of a sob.  “I love that about you.  Among other…”  She cut off with a howl of pain.  Astra forced her eyes to focus, hauling herself onto her hands and knees.  Alexandra had hugged the dictator, and used the opportunity to…

The High Commandant tried to leap into the air, but failed, stumbling, and wailed in pain again, the Gold K knife sticking from her back right below the shoulder blades.  “ _You…Alexandra…how COULD you???_ ”  She reached behind herself, pulling the knife out with another howl of pain, and gasped, falling to her knees as she held the vile spike in her hands. 

“I’m so sorry,” Alex replied.  “But it was the only way I could think of to deal with you without killing you.  And monster or not, I could never kill you, Astra.” 

“ _Why_?” the fallen High Commandant begged, the Gold K knife coated with her own blood in her hands.  “Alexandra, I built this for _you_!  I did _everything_ in your name, to make up to you for my failure!” 

Alex cupped her cheek in one hand, tears in her eyes.  “And I wish you hadn’t.  What you’ve done here is _evil_ , Astra.  You betrayed everything that I have fought for, and you…you aren’t the Astra I know, or the Astra this universe’s version of me knew.  Not anymore.” 

The High Commandant’s eyes overflowed with tears.  “You…you reject me?” 

Alex sobbed, her head-shake cutting off.  “I _have_ to.  I’ll always love you, Astra, but this…this tin-pot regime you’ve built is an _abomination_.  I can’t let this stand, I’d _never_ let it stand, and neither would the other me.  Please, just listen to my last words, stay with your version of Kara, she’ll take care of you, I promise.” 

The fallen dictator pulled back sharply, and Alex’s cry of her name cut off as the depowered Kryptonian pulled the Gold K knife up.  “ _Never,_ ” the High Commandant snarled, and the blade plunged into her chest. 

“ _NO!_ ” Alex screamed.  Astra barely held herself back from rushing into the evil radiance of the Gold K, Alex lunging forwards to grab High Commandant Astra around the torso. 

“ _All…for you…always…for…you…_ ” the High Commandant wheezed, falling to her knees.  “ _You…should’ve…understood…She…would’ve…understood…_ ”  She slumped into Alex, and her body convulsed once and was still. 

“No…nonono, nononononononoNO!” Alex sobbed.  “Oh god, Astra, why?  You stupid, _insufferable_ alien!  You could’ve _lived_ , you could’ve…”  She broke down, sobbing incoherently. 

“Alexandra,” Astra spoke up, her voice rough.  “Alexandra, I cannot approach unless the knife is shielded.” 

Alex gripped the knife awkwardly, pulling it out, slid it into a lead sheath and threw it as far from her as she could.  She rocked back and forth, tears sliding down her face and mucus starting to flow from her nose as Astra slipped up behind her, holding her gently as the Human woman let her grief out.  Astra’s own eyes blurred out from tears at her duplicate’s corpse, and she leaned her head into Alex’s shoulder, inhaling as deeply as she could the scent of _home, warm, safe_ that Alex was to her. 

The Karas found them there five minutes later, Alex reduced to soft, hiccupping sobs and Astra planting a soft kiss to her cheek. 

***

When they made it back to Earth-38, the first sight the three women were greeted with was the Martian Manhunter, in his human disguise, arms crossed and visibly unimpressed. 

“Supergirl, Agent Danvers, General In-Ze.  Glad to see you back.  The infirmary staff will want to look you over.”  His eyes passed over Alex, and softened.  “I also remind all three of you that we have psychological staff on call at any time.  Supergirl, what’s the short version?” 

“There was another Astra, a duplicate of her, and one of me, and Astra in that universe was a tyrant, we had to stop her but she killed herself rather than surrender.  There was a rogue Green Lantern, too, called Sinestro, he had a yellow ring but we beat him and took it, and Cyborg Superman, but I fried his systems and took him out.  The other me says that she’s going to try to repair the damage and undo the other Astra’s tyrannical regime.” 

J’onn nodded.  “Alright, then.  Get yourselves to the infirmary.”  He rubbed his temple for a moment, then forced the hand down.  “Then take the week off.  You need it.” 

***

“We need to talk.” 

Astra nodded, sitting next to Alex on her couch and tucking her feet up.  “Yes?”  It had been three days, and her Human had avoided discussing the alternate universe for most of them. 

“About what happened.  And the other versions of us.  They…they were in love.  Perfect lives.” 

Astra nodded silently. 

“I want…part of me, a lot of me, wants that.  And…”  She shook her head.  “I’m not saying this right.” 

“Take your time,” Astra soothed her.  “I will listen, and stay.  You did the same for me, after all.” 

“I just…” Alex paused, searching for the words.  “I think I’m in love with you, just like the other me was with her Astra.  And…I’m scared.  I’m scared that we’ll end up like them.” 

Astra cupped her cheek, and Alex’s eyes fluttered, her breath coming out softly as she leaned into the hand.  “We will not, Alexandra,” Astra promised her Human.  “I could never betray you or your memory as she did, and I will _never_ let you die.  I promise.” 

Alex nodded slowly, looking up at Astra, and the Kryptonian felt her stomach flutter as she gazed deep into Alex’s eyes.  _Rao, she is truly perfection…_  

“How long?” Alex asked, breaking Astra’s reverie.  At the alien’s quizzical look, she clarified, “How long have you known how you feel for me?” 

“Since the Daxamite invasion, when Rhea Gand attempted to use you as breeding stock and Lena Luthor helped me rescue you while Kara was distracted by Kal-El.”  Astra smiled softly in spite of the terror she still felt at the memories.  “You, in that dress, fearlessly fending off a Daxamite who could kill you with one blow?  I barely remembered to shoot Rhea.” 

“Well, I’m glad you did remember,” Alex replied.  Astra chuckled softly.  “I…I’m sorry, I probably should’ve known I was falling for you sooner.  I think…I think I first felt this way, gay I mean, for you, loving you, probably pretty early?” 

“I must confess to a similar fascination with you from our first meeting,” Astra admitted, “though even after I realized my true feelings, I was hesitant to pursue a romantic relationship, for fear of being inappropriate or unwelcome in my advances.  But, well, you are the bravest Human I know, and your friendship is a privilege in and of itself.” 

Alex blushed.  “Flatterer.” 

“I am no such thing, I simply state the truth.” 

Alex huffed softly, shifting in her place.  “Either way, I think…well, we’ve missed some time, but not _too_ much.  And…I think I love you.  And I want to be with you, as girlfriends or whatever you’d prefer.” 

Astra leaned in, and Alex’s breath caught.  “I would love nothing more,” the General whispered, “than to be yours, moving at whatever speed you wish.”  

Alex kissed her, and Astra knew in her heart that she wanted to spend forever with this woman, and that she would gladly spend the rest of her life proving herself worthy of her Human’s affection. 

**Author's Note:**

> All the thanks to Mollie for helping me beta this! She is literally the best in the world, she does a lot of D&D and art, and sometimes puts her art on her blog. She gave me permission to share her tumblr so here's the woman who helped me make this story not suck: http://actuallyaltaria.tumblr.com/
> 
> I hope that you enjoyed the story and that it wasn't too much of a slog to get through!


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